Frontier Village Farmers Market receives grant

The Frontier Village Farmers Market has received an $8,000 grant from St. Elizabeth Community Hospital through Dignity Health in order to collaborate with other agencies.

?We received a very specific grant that lines up with our mission goal of education and promoting healthier living choices while collaborating with other agencies,? market manager Sandra Burkett said.

Working with others is something the market, which opened on Saturdays this fall, has already been doing, she said.

The group has partnered with Transitional Living Center, a non-profit program providing transitional housing to women, that helps provide children's activities and games and the Tehama County Department of Social Services, which helps print flyers, Burkett said.

It also works with Tehama Together and is in the process of serving as a food drive collection site with donations going to local agencies.

The current donation is for Food for the Hungry, which serves southern Tehama County in the areas of Los Molinos and Dairyville.

The food drive will continue through the end of the market for this season ? 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays through Dec. 15.

It will resume March 2 with the goal of becoming yearround, Burkett said.

?The beauty of collaboration is that we may not be aware of all the resources available, however, one person will have knowledge of something we don't and it gets more of us together to collaborate,? Burkett said.

?It allows for a greater impact on the community and we are a community focused market.?

Any health-related organizations wishing to attend the farmers market is encouraged to contact her, Burkett said.

The market received a $500 sustainability grant from the Walmart Foundation through the local distribution center in Red Bluff that allows for a coupon match for the EBT.

For every $10 spent, the person will receive $3 more, until the $500 has been spent, to help promote the EBT program, Burkett said.

Further collaboration includes gleaning from vendors, with some of the leftover products at the days end being collected and given to local food banks.

Any food bank interested in receiving produce can call Burkett at 526-2843.

The market is in the process of applying for a $15,000 grant to start a more permanent structure and should have an answer within the next few weeks, she said.

Part of the money will offset the start-up cost of the market, the free community booths and supplies needed.

In addition to health related groups and non-profits, one-time fundraisers can be considered for a booth free of charge, she said.

?Opening day was astronomical and we've been steadily attended,? Burkett said. ?It's a different market.

Some people just wanted to see what was available for winter compared to summer, the fairgrounds activities draws some attention to us.

Every week it's a different set of vendors so it's constantly changing.?

Children's activities and a cooking demo are held at least once a month, hopefully increasing to twice a month in March when electricity should be available, Burkett said.

?We'd still like more community input on what they would like to see,? Burkett said.

For more information, visit the Frontier Village Farmers Market Facebook page, check out @farmermarketmanager on Twitter or call 526-2843.